Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry voted against H.R. 7321, the legislation authorizing the use of American taxpayer dollars to bail out domestic automakers. Congressman McHenry stated, “At its essence, this bill is nothing more than the Democratic Congress, President Bush, President-elect Obama, the UAW, the automaker CEOs, and a to-be-determined ‘car czar’ saying to American taxpayers, ‘Trust us... Read more »
Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry announced that all 10 counties comprising the Tenth District have qualified for federal loan assistance stemming from the drought and excessive heat experienced in 2008. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that there were sufficient agriculture production losses to warrant a disaster designation across the Tenth District. This designation mak... Read more »
Today, the office of Congressman Patrick McHenry announced that the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) presented the Congressman with its Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence. NAM is the nation’s largest industrial trade association representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector. According to NAM, Congressman McHenry’s voting record in the 110th Congress ... Read more »
Congressman Patrick McHenry today announced that Granite Falls-based Mariner Container Corporation has received $1.6 million in federal funding to begin producing "Smart Containers" as part of a Department of Defense subcontract. Working closely with Mariner, Congressman McHenry made the request to fund the project. Smart Containers represent a dramatic advance in shipping technology. Unlike ISO c... Read more »
Congressman Patrick McHenry announced today that he voted to extend benefits for jobless workers. The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 6867) would extend benefits by an extra 7 weeks in all states and an additional 13 weeks in states like North Carolina who have unemployment rates above 6%. North Carolina’s unemployment rate has risen to 6.9%. Having passed the House of Representative... Read more »
Congressman Patrick McHenry issued the following statement regarding his third vote against taxpayer-funded bailouts: “This is without question one of toughest votes I have taken in my four years in Congress. I continue to believe that action is needed to stabilize our financial markets but this is not the right approach. For American taxpayers, $850 billion is an enormous price to pay for an expe... Read more »
Congressman Patrick McHenry issued the following statement regarding the Wall Street bailout proposal. “Over the past two weeks, my focus has been on the significant turmoil facing our financial and capital markets and the potential threat it poses to the people of Western North Carolina. From the beginning, I was deeply skeptical of Secretary Paulson's unprecedented proposal to use $700 billion o... Read more »
Congressman Patrick McHenry voted Wednesday for a measure that funds crucial programs for 10th District workers, military personnel, and veterans. H.R. 2638 extends the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program through March 6, 2009. For workers who see their jobs sent overseas, TAA provides training and support to help them transition to new employment. A long-time supporter of TAA, Congressman M... Read more »
With leaders of the Democrat-run Congress in the process of developing a second economic stimulus bill, Congressman Patrick McHenry today issued the following statement. “We must strengthen our economy and create jobs by addressing the energy crisis and making the middle class tax cuts permanent. It is undeniable that high gas prices are a primary cause of the economic recession. Last year, we dra... Read more »
Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry joined local employers at a rally and seminar in opposition to the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, otherwise known as “card-check” legislation. The event was hosted by the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce. Card-check eliminates the right to secret ballot elections for workers deciding whether to unionize in the workplace. Labor unions would now only have to... Read more »
